Subscribe
Follow Us
Bob Uecker was known for his outstanding sense of humor that came to the forefront in movies like “Major League” and “Major League 2” along with his appearances on the Tonight Show and the sit-com Mr. Belvedere. However, the man whom Johnny Carson dubbed as “Mr. Baseball” was a baseball play-by-play announcer for the Milwaukee Brewers first and foremost. The Brewers announced that the 90-year-old Uecker died Thursday.
Those who were able to pin Uecker down always got the answer of baseball announcer as his most beloved job. He served as the Brewers announcer from their second season in Milwaukee in 1971` through the 2024 season. Former Major League commissioner Bud Selig brought the Brewers to Milwaukee after they played the 1969 season in Seattle as the Pilots. Selig hired Uecker as the team's announcer, and the two had a long affiliation, and Selig had great admiration for Uecker.
“We were two Milwaukee kids,” Selig said. “Bob was a baseball guy, and he was just remarkable.”
Uecker was born in Milwaukee and he spent his formative years there as well as the majority of his broadcasting career.
Current MLB commissioner Rob Manfred also expressed his admiration for Uecker and everything he brought to the sport.
“Bob was the genuine item: always the funniest person in any room he was in, and always an outstanding ambassador for our National Pastime,” Manfred said in a statement, per ESPN. “We are grateful for this baseball life like no other, and we will never forget him. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest sympathy to Bob's family, his many friends across the game, Brewers fans, and the countless baseball fans who admired him.”
Uecker made the most out of his underwhelming playing career
The Brewers long-time announcer had been a big-league catcher throughout his playing career. He was largely a backup who played for the Milwaukee Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves during his six years in the Major Leagues between 1962 and 1967.
He played 80 games in his final season, splitting his time between the Phillies and the Atlanta Braves. His most productive season came in 1966 with the Phillies when he batted .208, but he did hit a career-best 7 home runs and he drove in 30 runs.
Uecker spent much of his time on the Tonight Show making jokes at his own expense about his ineffective glove work and his poor hitting. However, while his numbers are not memorable, he did hit home runs against Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax, Gaylord Perry and Ferguson Jenkins. He hit 14 home runs throughout his career.
